Poverty in DelawareThis overview was prepared by the University of Delaware Center for Community Research and Service as background for the DGA panel discussion on this subject. It is a valuable resource for members who are working on strategies to reduce the impact of poverty and provide ways to move beyond it.

Philanthropy in The First StateThis report, commissioned by the Delaware Philanthropy Forum in 2009, provides valuable information about the state of the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors in the state.

Welcome to Delaware Grantmakers!

Delaware Grantmakers was created to strengthen philanthropy in Delaware by providing information, education, networking and collaboration opportunities. Membership is open to individuals, foundations, and corporations who make philanthropic contributions in Delaware. (We are happy to answer questions from grant-seekers but at this time membership is not open to nonprofit agencies seeking funding).

Please use our website to share information, collaborate, exchange and grow – that's why we're here and we hope you are too. Engage and explore anytime, from anywhere there's a web connection.

We're glad you're here.

What we've been doing:

Learning about Hispanics in Delaware

On March 24, 2015 members of the Delaware Hispanic Commission provided insights into the growing population of people of hispanic origin in Delaware. a diverse group of DGA funders were represented and asked thoughtful questions about the needs and potential of the community. Here are links to the reports they provided. Overview Powerpoint, Background demographics, and the Education Gap.

Good to Great Strategic Planning

The DGA board has appointed a committee to develop a vision of excellence and a strategic plan for the Grantmakers, utilizing the principles of Jim Collins, author of Good to Great. The Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement is bringing Collins to Delaware on June 15, 2015 and DGA will be participating.

Convening Affinity Groups

On March 3, 2015 DGA members with Community Redevelopment Act requirements were hosted by Beryl Barmore of M&T and Renee Roberts of TD Bank to hear a presentation about the Delaware Community Investment Corporation's intention to create a new investment fund.

On March 18 April Birmingham of Bank of America and Leslie Kosek of Capital One convened the DGA Education Funders for an update on the current state of education, presented by Paul Herdman and Madeleine Bayard of the Rodel Foundation. Members engaged in a spirited discussion about strategies to improve Wilmington schools and the value of student testing to measure quality.

Talking about Community Indicators

February 19, 2015

Delaware Community Foundation President and CEO Fred Sears and consultant Bob Ewers met with fifteen DGA members to describe DCF's strategic commitment to fostering a statewide discussion of community needs, beginning with the creation of a set of publicly available community indicators.

Discussing Early Education

December 9, 2014

Secretary Jennifer Ranji along the co-chairs of the Early Childhood Commission Mary Kate Mouser and Madeleine Bayard reviewed progress that has been made in improving conditions for children's success and the challenges that remain.

Learning from The Boston Foundation

October 17, 2014

Paul Grogan, CEO of The Boston Foundation and Katherine Scott, Director of Nonprofit Effectiveness, described TBF's Giving Common and its development as a critical tool for enhancing nonprofit capacity and impact. DGA is currently in the planning stages for a similar system.

Meeting with leaders of the legislature's Joint Finance Committee

September 23, 2014

Twenty DGA member representative met Rep. Melanie George Smith and Sen. Harris McDowell to talk about Grant-in-Aid, which distributed $45 Million to Delaware nonprofits in 2013. The discussion focused on finding a common approach to collecting and presenting data on nonprofit's financial and governance strength and their program effectiveness.

Grantmakers Report on Delaware Independent Sector

DELAWARE’S PHILANTHROPIC SECTOR VIBRANT BUT BOTH INDIVIDUAL AND INSTITUTIONAL GIVING HAVE DECLINED

WILMINGTON, Delaware – Even after being battered by the Great Recession, Delaware’s philanthropic sector remains a vibrant and vital part of the state’s economy, driving the expenditure of billions of dollars and providing 14% of the jobs in the state.

But the health of the sector is at risk. Both institutional and individual giving have declined since the Recession began and more nonprofits than ever find themselves operating in the red. Care must be taken to nurture the sector if Delaware is to continue to enjoy its benefits for years to come.

These are among the findings of a recent study of Delaware’s philanthropic sector sponsored by members of the Delaware Grantmakers Association, a coalition of foundations and corporate funding programs that work to support Delaware.

Individuals in Delaware gave more than $467 million in charitable gifts;

Nonprofits in Delaware generated $5.3 billion in revenues and provided more than 60,000 jobs – equivalent to 14% of all civilian, non-farm jobs in the state.

Yet both grantmaker and individual giving are down from their pre-Recession levels, with individual giving off by 12%. In the face of this decline, coupled with cuts in government support and increasing demand for services, 48% of Delaware nonprofits found themselves operating in the red -- spending more than they received -- in 2010.

In order to return the philanthropic sector to its pre-Recession health, Delaware needs to stimulate giving by individuals and grantmakers, and work strategically to ensure that Delaware’s nonprofits have the capacity necessary to meet both the community’s needs and expectations. All sectors -- philanthropy, the business sector and the public sector, must join in this effort.

Copies of the report are available by following the link at left.

The Delaware Grantmakers Association works to strengthen philanthropy in Delaware through public education and advocacy and to grow the number of institutional donors supporting Delaware nonprofits.

U.S. Foundations Gave $50.9 Billion in 2012, Study Finds

Giving by domestic foundations continued to grow at a moderate pace in 2011 and 2012, despite economic and political uncertainty in the United States and globally, a new study from the Foundation Center finds.

According to the report, Key Facts on U.S. Foundations (7 pages, PDF), the country's 81,777 foundations held $622 billion in assets and distributed $49 billion in grants in 2011 — an amount estimated to have reached $50.9 billion in 2012. The outlook for 2013 is for continued modest growth overall.

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